Strand handling apparatus



Dec. 12 1944. o. G. NELSON STRAND HANDLING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet l I o/NVENTOE G/VEZSON TOE/V5 Y Filed Oct. 19 1943 Dec. 12, .1944. o. s. NELSON A STRAND HANDLING APPARATUS Fil ed Oct; 19, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVEN TOE 0 G A/asav BY ,4 7 4 HTTOE/VZ Y an... Dec. 12, 1944 STRAND HANDLING APPARATUS Oscar G. Nelson, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 19, 1943, Serial No. 506,857

6 Claims.

This invention relates to strand handling apparatus and more particularly to braking mechanism for twisting machine supply units.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple and effective apparatus for controlling the tension in strands.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a strand handling apparatus of the type disclosed in the co-pending application of E. J. Larsen and 0. G. Nelson, Serial No. 452,027, filed July 23, 1942, is equipped with a braking mechanism comprising a pair oI-discs attached to the supply reels of the apparatus and an electromagnet positioned to direct lines of magnetic force through the discs adjacent their peripheries, thereby to apply a braking force tending to retard rotation of the discs. The magnetic flux of the. electromagnet may be varied by means positioned externally of the machine to control the braking effect thereof.

A complete understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a strand handling machine constructed to twist conductors into pairs and later twist the pairs together to form a quad;

Fig. 2 is a circuit, diagram illustrating schematically the control for the braking mechanism which tends to retard rotation of the supply reels;

shafts l6 and I1 adapted to supply motive power to the two main portions l2 and I3.

As described in detail in the hereinbefore identified application of E. J. Larsen and O. G. Nelson, the main portion |2 of the apparatus includes a pair of fiyers l8 and I9 driven through suitable gearing, as shown at and 2|, to twist the pairs 22 and 23 and 24 and 25 of wire. The fiyers l8 and I9 are adapted to rotate about cradles 25 and 21, which are supported on suitable trunnions and remain stationary while the fiyers rotate around them. After the individual pairs of wires 22 and 23 and 24 and 25 are twisted together, they are directed to a flyer unit 28, which twists the pairs of wires together to form a quad, which is then wound upon a takeup reel 29 in the portion l3 of the machine. Suitable gearing 30 and 3| is provided for driving the flyer 28 and takeup reel 29, as described in the aforementioned co-pending application of E. J. Larsen and O. G. Nelson.

' The cradles 25 and 21 are of identically the same construction, and only the cradle 26, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, willbe described in detail. The cradle 26 has supporting means or trunnions of the same construction as shown in the .copending application of E. J. Larsen and O. G. Nelson and comprisesa pair of plates 40 and 4| suitably attached to the trunnions and held spaced apart adjacent their lower ends by a spacer element 42. Positioned between the plates 40 and 4| adjacent their upper ends is an electromagnet, designated generally by the numeral 43, comprising a core portion 44, winding and pole pieces 45 and 41.

The plates 40 and 4| (Fig. 3) are spaced apart at their upper edges by a spacer member 48 and have outer bearing races 49 and 50 mounted on them by means of a pair of annular retainer members 5| and 52, respectively. Cooperating with the outer bearing races 49 and 50 are inner bearing races 53 and 54, respectively,

which are clamped between shoulders 55 and 55 on spindles 51 and 58 and cooperating surfaces of discs 59 and 50. The discs 59 and 50 are fixed to the spindles 51 and 58 by machine screws GI and 62, respectively, and are provided with sloping or tapered surfaces 53 and 64, respectively, against which hub members and 66 of reels 61 and 68 may be wedged by retainer members 69 and 10. The retainer members are threaded to engage the outer ends of the spindles 51 and 58 and have tapered or sloping surfaces 1| and 12 formed thereo for engaging outer hub members 13 and 14 ofthe reels 61 aand 68, respectively.

In order to reduce the weight of the spindles as much as possible, they are hollowed out, as shown at 15 and 16, respectively. The spindle 58 is provided with an extending shaft 11, from which there extends a reduced portion 18, which extends a substantial distance into the hollowed-out portion 15 of the spindle 51 and carries bearings 19 and within the spindle 51. A spacer sleeve 8| is interposed between bearings I6 and to properly position them on the gizing .current in any suitable manner. One method of conducting current to the electromagnet 43 is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1, wherein a pair of leads 90 and 0| connected to the electromagnet 43 are provided with brushes 9: and 93, which engage conductor rings 34 and 36 insulatedly mounted on the left-hand portion of the iiyer l8 and electrically connected to conductor rings 96 and 91, respectively, which are positioned to be engaged by brushes 68 and 00, electrically connected to leads I00 and IOI, respectively.

Since the equipment provided for controlling the rotation of the reels on the cradle 21 is exactly the same as that provided on the cradle 20, similar electrical connections are provided for the cradle 21, which will serve to control the braking eiIect of the electromagnet 43. The leads I 0| from the two electromagnets 43 and connected to a lead I02 running to one side of a source of current and the leads I00 irom the electromagnet 43 are connected to the movable elements of rheostats I03 and I04, the windings of which are connected to a lead I06 running to the side of the source of current opposite to the lead I02.

In the operation of the apparatus, after supply reels containing supplies of conductors 22 and 23 and 24 and 25 have been placed on the cradles 26 and 21 and'flxed to the spindles 51 and 08 on the cradles, the wire may be passed through the flyers I8 and I9 in the manner described in detail in the aforementioned patent application of E. J. Larsen and O. G. Nelson and may be directed from the flyers 26 and 21 to the flyer unit 28. After the reels 6! and 68 have been mounted in the cradles 26 and 21, motor I I may be started to form a quad from the pairs of wires 22 and 23 and 24 and 25. In order to maintain the proper tension in the pairs being wound, the rheostats I03 and I04 may be adjusted, thereby to control the amount of current supplied to the electromagnets 43 in the cradles 26 and 21, respectively. The retarding effect of the electromagnet 43 in each cradle, in passing its magnetic flux across the path of rotation of the discs 66 and 60, will be equal in its effect upon the two reels 61 and 00 in each cradle since the reels are free to rotate with respect to each other. Inasmuch as the reels rotate in opposite directions with respect one to the other, the braking eiIect of the electromagnet 43 on the discs59 and 60 will place the wires withdrawn from the two reels under equal tension and the tension in the wires being withdrawn from the cradle 26 may be adjusted bymeans of rheostat I03. Similarly, the tension in the pair of wires being withdrawn from the cradle 21 may be adjusted by means of the rheostat I04, thereby to control the tension of the pairs passing to the flyer unit 28 in the portion l3 of the machine. In this manner, the formation of a quad, to be taken up by takeup reel 23, may be adiusted with a high degree of accuracy.

Obviously, if it is desired to balance or increase the electromagnetic braking efiect upon the discs 69 and 60, a plurality of electromagnets like the electromagnets 43 may be provided around the peripheries of the discs.

amaoa What is claimed 18:

1. In a strand handling apparatus, a pair of supply reels rotatable in opposite directions, means for supporting said supply reels on a common axis, discs attached to the supply reels and positioned between the supply reels, an electromagnet positioned to :lirect its flux field through the discs adjacent their periphery to retard rotation oi the discs, and means for controlling the supply of current to the electromagnet. v

2. In a material handling apparatus. a p ir 01' reels for supporting supplies of strand material, means for withdrawing the-strand material from the supply thereof, a pair of discs, one attached to and rotatable with each of the supply reels, an electromagnet positioned to direct its flux field transversely of the discs to retard the rotation of the discs and their associated reels, a flyer rotatable bodily around the pair of reels. and means for conducting current through the fiyer to energize the electromagnet.

3. In an apparatus for twisting wires to form a cable quad, a pair of cradles each supporting a pair of supply reels for rotation in opposite directions, a disc fixed to each supply reel and rotatable therewith, an electromagnet individual to each cradle and positioned to direct its field oi flux through the discs adjacent their periphery, a flyer unit rotatable about each cradle, and control means positioned outside the flyers for controlling the flow of current to the electromagnets.

4. In an apparatus for twisting wires to form a cable quad, a pair of cadles each supporting a pair of supply reels for rotation in opposite directions, a disc fixed to each supply reel and rotatable therewith, an electromagnet individual to each cradle and positioned to direct its field of flux througli the discs adjacent their periphery, a flyer unit rotatable about each cradle, control means positioned outside the flyers for controlling the flow of current to the electromagnets, and means extending through the flyers to conduct current from the control means to the electromagnets.

5. In an apparatus for twisting wires to form a cable quad, a pair of cradles each supporting a pair of supply reels for rotation in opposite directions, 9. disc fixed to each supply reel and rotatable therewith, an electromagnet individual to each cradle and positioned to direct its held of flux through the discs adjacent their periphery,

a flyer unit rotatable about each cradle, control means positioned outside the flyers for controlling the flow of current to the electromagnets,

and means in each flyer for conducting current from the control means to the electromagnet in the associated flyer.

6. In an apparatus for twisting wires to form a cable quad, a pair of cradles each supporting a pair of supply reels for rotation in opposite directions, a flyer rotatable around each cradle, a disc fixed to each supply reel and rotatable therewith, an electromagnet individual to each cradle and positioned to direct its field of flux through the discs adjacent their periphery, and means individual to each electromagnet for individually controlling the flow of current thereto, said controlling means being positioned outside the flyer I 

